SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, Oct. 6, 2015) – Six hundred individuals will this year exhibit their best handicraft work at the National Women's Expo.

The women were rated the best from the divisional exhibition shows that started in May and were selected by judges from the Fiji Arts council, Health Ministry and the Industry, Tourism and Trade ministry.

"The Expo will not only provide the women with the opportunity to sell their products, network with potential buyers, but to acquire skills that will build their self-confidence and knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs," Mrs Akbar said.

She added the women would also be connected to potential markets as the expo theme this year is on "Connecting Women to the Markets, Make it happen".

"Major highlight of the expo is that we will also commemorate the International Rural Women's Day on 15th October and in doing so the...

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (The Samoa News, Oct. 3, 2015) – The federal appeals court in Washington D.C. has denied a request by five American Samoans for a rehearing en banc of the citizenship lawsuit decision handed down in June this year by a three-judge panel of the same court.

The panel upheld the lower court’s decision that constitutional citizenship birth on U.S. soil does not apply to those born in American Samoa.

Plaintiffs in the suit are lead by local resident Leneuoti Tuaua and plaintiffs include Los Angeles based non profit group, Samoan Federation of America. Plaintiffs had argued that persons born in American Samoa are U.S. citizens in accordance with the U.S. Constitution.

Defendants in the case are the U.S. State Department including the Secretary of State. Attorneys for the defendants argued that like the three judge panel in this case, every...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Oct. 6, 2015) – A Nauru opposition MP Marcus Stephen says few people on the island are aware of the government's announcement to finalise about 600 asylum-seeker applications within the next week.

The 600 are the last of the refugee claims to be processed in Nauru's Australian-run detention facility.

Mr Stephen, a former president, says he only found out about the release of the asylum-seekers yesterday.

"That process, how safe and with this process is one question that needs to be answered as well. Even ourselves, we are not aware of what is going on with the refugees. They need to make an announcement that so and so numbers of refugees have be...

Tony de Brum's comments as small atoll nations are to meet in Kiribati this week to look how to prepare for climate migrants to move in a dignified way.

The meeting which is organised with the help of the Prince Albert of Monaco Foundation, also looks at labour mobility as a potential mechanism to facilitate climate migration.

But the Marshall Islands' Tony de Brum says migrating because of the effects of climate change should only be considered if all other avenues fail.

"Displacement of populations and destruction of cultural language and tradition is equivalent in our minds to genocide. People must know that climate change can be reversed if we do it now. But if we do not of irreversible damage...

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Oct. 5, 2015) – Today is the last day for the public to register for individual assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, marking 60 days after the declaration of a major disaster in the Commonwealth.

"We want to make sure that everybody that needs to register get it done. Oct. 5th is the deadline," federal coordinating officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr. said.

FEMA may accept late registration, provided it is justified, DeBlasio said.

"If, for some reason, someone has a reasonable explanation as to why they didn’t register in time, either on my authority or my deputy’s authority, we can actually accept a late registration. But it would have to be justified as to why they would not have known after all the broadcasting that we’ve done about the process," DeBlasio said.

POHNPEI, Federated States of Micronesia (Kaselehlie Press, Oct. 5, 2015) – A bill submitted by request from the Chuuk State Executive Branch to the Chuuk House of Representatives seeks to charge Chuuk’s emigrants an annual Change of Residence Tax in the amount of $100 each.

Under the bill, failure to pay the tax could result in seizure of assets held within Chuuk state, loss of voting rights and other potential penalties.

The proposed bill says that the "outmigration of Chuuk State residents has caused serious social, economic and political problems for the State. There is a serious shortage of skill(ed) manpower. A high percentage of properties are left abandoned or underutilized(,) diminishing their contribution to the State’s economy and tax base. The migrant residents are paying taxes to their current countries of residencies despite continuing to enjoy the privileges and protection of Chuuk State...

Pato seeks support on climate change; political climate in US not favorable

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Oct. 5, 2015) – Papua New Guinea's Minister for Foreign Affairs has conveyed Pacific regional climate change concerns to the United States government and sought support from it.

However Rimbink Pato was told by the US Assistant Secretary of State, Danny Russell, that while his administration wants to do more, it struggles to gain bipartisan support in Washington.

The two met in New York late last week at a meeting between Mr Russell and Pacific Islands Forum leaders.

Mr Pato says he pressed for US backing at December's COP21 Conference in Paris on climate issues of vital significance to communities in the Pacific.

He says the US is aware of the threat brought about by climate change in the Pacific.

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Oct. 6, 2015) – In undertaking what is believed to be the largest archaeological dig in Saipan history, the team of experts led by Dr. Mike Dega is not only looking to find empirical evidence of an ancient Chamorro village in the former Samoan Housing area, but also a Spanish-era settlement.

Based on preliminary reports, Dega said they were not able to find links to a Spanish settlement.

"There was some evidence prior to the dig that the area could have housed a Spanish settlement. At present, there is no evidence for such claim. However, we have not yet finished our analyses," he said.

His team has been commissioned by Saipan casino investor Best Sunshine, and their work is not yet done.

"We have just submitted a suite of charcoal to the laboratory for dating," said Dega adding that results will be available...

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, Oct. 5, 2015) – Authorities are urging the public to conserve precious water supplies as intakes across Rarotonga operate well below capacity and the island faces three months with little or no rainfall.

Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) water works division manager Wilson Rani says water intake capacity around Rarotonga is working at just 20 per cent to 50 per cent, mainly around Avatiu, Nikao and other elevated areas on the island.

The stream flow at water intakes across the island has dropped, reducing the pressure in the pipeline network and the flow of water to homes and businesses.

The stream at the Avatiu intake usually supplies up to 40 to 60 litres of water a second, but because of limited rainfall now supplies just 6 litres of water a second.

Rani says the intake feeds all of the Avatiu back road area right through Nikao to...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.